PH Mundial – Port Harcourt Online Newspaper News Across The Region
Related Articles
… Seals Building, Arrest 2
By Emma Sunday, Port Harcourt
Officers and men of the Nigerian Navy in Rivers State says it has confiscated over two hundred thousand (200,000) litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), popularly known as diesel dumped in a private residence in Okwuzi Community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area of the State.
Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER, Commodore Desmond Igbo who led the military team on operation said two persons were arrested during a raid on the private residence which was converted to a massive illegal oil bunkering site.
Commodore Igbo said the discovery which was made in line with the mandate of the Chief of Naval Staff to combat crude oil theft and other related vices in the Niger Delta region, was possible through concerted effort of intelligence gathering.
He said, “My men at the Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER, through credible intelligence, we were able to discover this place. The whole of this compound is being used as illegal refining site.
“You will recall that Nigerian Navy, few weeks ago relaunch the third phase 3 of the Operation Delta Sanity which is aimed at halting crude oil theft in Niger Delta, and sanitising the region from the menace of illegal oil bunkering and other related activities.”
The Navy Commander at the NNS PATHFINDER said, “This illegally refined products here is massive, some are bagged in sacks, some in drums and over 62 tanks is filled up, we have over two hundred thousand (200,000) litres of illegal products refined from crude oil siphoned or stolen from the pipelines.
“This is too bad, it is not good for our economy. This is pure economic sabotage.
“We have made arrest, the owner of this property, being the person doing this illicit business have been arrested with one of his boys, efforts are still on to arrest everyone who is involved in this criminal act. The NNS PATHFINDER is determined to apprehend them wherever they are, both in the water and on the land.
“The Nigerian Navy under the able leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has given us the mandate to end crude oil theft in our areas of operations, and we are poised and determined to achieve that, so that the Nigeria oil out put will increase and meet the OPEC quota of atleast 2.5 barrels per day.”
He noted that the suspects will be handed over to prosecuting agencies, while the compound will be sealed.
Commodore Igbo however, advised youths in the region not to allow themselves to be used a tool to sabotage the nation’s economy.
